


We Go Around and Around

by Emiline



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Confessions, F/F, Handwavy magical explanations, Past one-sided Ada/Gwen crush, Requited Love, Some Hecate/Pippa but it's complicated, Trapped, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 09:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15116354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emiline/pseuds/Emiline
Summary: Ada sighed. “It’s a magical wardrobe that can only be opened by someone on the outside. We can’t transfer in or out, and we also can’t transfer any object in or out, or send a message.”Hecate stared at her.“Yes, I know,” Ada sighed again. “I did not realize it was still here. I thought Mother had gotten rid of it years ago.”





	We Go Around and Around

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired in part the previous iteration of Miss Bat locking herself in the cupboard over the summer. Also, credit is due to monsterintheballroom who at one point made a post speculating as to whether Miss Bat and Ada had ever had a romantic relationship, which gave me the idea for Ada having had an unrequited crush on Miss Bat.
> 
> Spoilers through the end of series/season 1.

Ada saw what was happening too late to do anything useful, and just in time to make matters worse than they already were.

“Hecate, don’t open that!” she cried, instinctively reaching out to her deputy to pull her back.

Hecate was already tugging the wardrobe open, and because Ada’s instinct had over-ridden her common sense and she’d grabbed Hecate, hoping to pull her away, all she could was chide herself for a fool as the two of them were sucked into the wardrobe. They landed hard, in a tangle of limbs, and Ada heard the door slam shut behind them.

Something sharp – it might have been Hecate’s elbow – jabbed Ada in the cheek as they fell. “Are you okay?” Ada inquired as they disentangled themselves. “Sorry,” she added as her hand brushed over what she was pretty sure was her deputy’s thigh.

“I think so,” Hecate responded, magically shoving some of the clothes out of the way so they had room to sit up. “Are you alright? What happened?”

Ada cast an illumination spell. “I may have a few bruises in the morning but I’ll be fine.” She rubbed at her cheek. “I thought this wardrobe had been cleaned out of the store room decades ago,” she frowned.

Hecate made a motion with her wrist. Nothing happened. “Why can’t we get out?”

Ada sighed. “It’s a magical wardrobe that can only be opened by someone on the outside. We can’t transfer in or out, and we also can’t transfer any object in or out, or send a message.”

Hecate stared at her.

“Yes, I know,” Ada sighed again. “I did not realize it was still here. I thought Mother had gotten rid of it years ago.”

“So what you’re saying is we are stuck here, unable to help ourselves or call for help, until someone wanders along and finds us.”

“Yes.”

“Will they find us? Or is this soundproof as well?”

“It’s not soundproof. I fear, however, that it may be some time before our colleagues notice we are missing. The music room was in a pretty sorry state the last time I saw it, and it could be hours before they have it all put back together.”

Hecate closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. “Are we in danger of suffocating?”

“Oh no, it’s not airtight. We’re not even in danger of starving. Gwen’s mother used to spend her summers in this wardrobe.”

“You’re joking.”

“I assure you, I am not. She used to say it was the only way she could be assured of a peaceful summer of quiet contemplation. The Bats have always been a bit…eccentric,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

“That’s one word for it.”

“Delphinium Bat was a brilliant woman though, and an excellent teacher. Students sometimes thought she was off her rocker, but there was a method to her madness. Most of the time, that is.”

“I worry about Gwen sometimes,” Hecate admitted, staring at her fingers as though the answer to this problem lay within them. “I fear she is a little less in touch with reality than she used to be. But it’s difficult to tell. There was that business about the goblins, which was, I think, wholly in her mind, but there are other times in which I suspect her of putting on a bit of a dotty-old-lady persona as a tool to accomplish some purpose or other.”

“I agree that we should probably keep a closer eye on her.” Ada absently fingered a dark purple cloak hanging next to her. “Goblin-incident aside, she seems to do be doing pretty well. And this school is as much her life as Algernon is. So long as she can and wants to teach, and can maintain the standards of this school and not endanger the students, I am glad to have her here.”

Ada tugged the cloak of its hanger and spread it on the floor. “Come over here,” she clambered on the cloak and patted the space next to her. “I think we’ll be more comfortable on this.”

“Did you know,” Ada laughed, when Hecate had settled next to her, “I used to have the most terrible crush on Gwen when I was a schoolgirl.”

“You what?”

“Oh yes,” Ada responded dreamily. “She was not so very much older than us, you know, and had that kind of ethereal beauty that you can’t help but appreciate. All the senior girls worshipped her a little, I think, and probably half of us were a little in love with her. She was witty and sparkling and even then, a little lost in the clouds some times but it only served to enhance her appeal. We were just the right age for hopeless romantic crushes you know. One poor girl was so besotted she wrote her a sonnet – anonymously of course, but we all knew who it was. It wasn’t just the students who felt her charm either. I always thought Miss Toadstool liked her above the ordinary as well, though of course I never asked.”

Hecate, who had thought she had known Ada long enough (cheerful, open, friendly Ada) to no longer be wholly surprised by her, sat gaping at the woman next, wondering where on earth _this_ Ada had come from. Ada, still gazing off into the realms of memory, did not notice.

“It was rather fun, really,” Ada ploughed on. “She was completely unattainable, so it was quite safe. All the joy of a crush without the attendant stress and anxiety. Not like the time Janie and I – but you don’t want to hear about that. And my feelings were not deeply engaged – I wanted a crush, not an actual relationship, so it was really most satisfactory,” she sighed happily.

Hecate opened and closed her mouth several times, her face contorting into various interesting positions.

“Oh dear, I’ve shocked you, haven’t I?” Ada remarked ruefully. 

At last Hecate found her voice. “You merely…surprised me with this unexpected confidence,” she managed.

“You disapprove.”

“No,” Hecate shook her head. “I just never imagined it, that’s all. Would never have imagined it.” Could not, in fact, quite square it yet with the Ada she knew and—

Ada winked at her. “I do have some secrets,” she teased gently.

“Ada Cackle, woman of mystery,” Hecate heard herself saying.

“I’m not sure I’d go that far,” Ada laughed, a look of surprised delight on her face at Hecate’s banter. 

Hecate rapped on the wardrobe wall thoughtfully. “Are you quite certain there is no way out? Surely Delphinium didn’t lock herself in every summer with no way out.”

“I wouldn’t be certain about that. I know of no way to open it except from the outside, but I am happy to assist you in whatever you would like to try.”

For the next hour Hecate tried every spell she could think of that might work, and some that she was quite certain wouldn’t, and at the end of the hour they were just as stuck as they had been at the beginning. 

Then something else occurred to her. “Assuming someone finds us, what’s to stop them from ending up inside like us?”

Ada shifted uncomfortably. “It doesn’t work that way. We both were pulled in because I was touching you when you opened the door. If there is already someone or someones inside, it is safe to open from the outside.”

“So if you had been on the other side of the room, we would not be having this problem.”

“No.”

Hecate sighed. “Well, if I had to be stuck with someone, at least it was you. I might have turned Algernon back into a frog by now.”

xxxxx

An hour and a half later, Hecate’s stomach growled, and a plate of tea cakes and cucumber sandwiches, a pot of steaming hot Earl Grey, and two delicate bone-china teacups materialized between the two witches.

“Shall I be mother?” Ada asked, pouring Hecate a cup. 

The tea was surprisingly good – a delicate, fragrant Darjeeling, and the cakes and sandwiches were light and fresh. When they had eaten and drunk their fill, the tea things whisked themselves away.

Hecate watched out of the corner of her eye as Ada settled back against the wall.

“I had a crush in my school days as well,” Hecate offered unexpectedly, surprising herself as well as Ada. Her mouth twisted into something that might have been a grimace. “It was not quite so happy as yours, I’m afraid.”

“Hecate, you don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want. I didn’t tell you that story about Gwen because I was trying to force a confidence from you.”

“I know. But I’d like to tell you.” It would she thought, be a relief to tell someone. Maybe then she could finally let it pass into the past. If anyone would not judge her, or would have helpful advice, it would be Ada. Ada too, had shared something personal and Hecate wanted to honor that by offering up something of her own. It would have been nice to share something pleasant, but, well, she had what she had. 

“Then I am honored and of course will keep anything you say in confidence.”

Hecate took a deep breath. “There was a girl I was close to, a friend.” She fixed her gaze firmly on the opposite wall. It was easier if she didn’t have to look at Ada. “I was not good at making friends. Worse than I am now,” she amended. “She was not my only friend, but I did not have a great many others, and of them she was certainly my best friend. I thought that she was the most amazing, astonishing person that I knew and I wanted to spend all my time with her. She was kind, and beautiful, and very popular, and I, well…” Hecate shrugged eloquently. “I didn’t mix well. It wasn’t until years and years later that I realized my feelings for her were not just intense hero-worship, or at least, not only that. Far, far too late for it to make a difference.

Ada reached out, placed a hand over Hecate’s, and squeezed gently. Hecate turned her hand palm up and tentatively folded her fingers over Ada’s, lightly, as though she was afraid Ada might snatch her hand away.

“I didn’t understand what I was feeling, and I was so very afraid, and part of me hated her for making me feel like this, so uncontrolled, and I pushed her away. Much, much later I came to realize that it wasn’t her I was hating, it was myself, but by then it was decades in the past, and what could I do? The worst part is,” Hecate’s voice caught, and she hastily cleared her throat, “is I’m sure I made her hate me too.”

“Oh my dear.”

“So there you have it.”

“Did you ever see her again, once you left school?”

“A handful of times in passing, but we never spoke again.”

“Have you wanted to talk to her?”

“I used to think I did, sometimes, but then I’d think I didn’t. Anyway, it’s too late now.”

“It’s never too late to try to fix things.”

“I hate to be the one to disillusion you Ada, but some things can’t be fixed.”

“But you can always try.”

Hecate shook her head in wonder. “How can you bear being so optimistic in a world that is so full of disappointment?”

Before Ada could respond they heard the welcome sound of Dimity calling their names. “Ada! Hecate!”

“We’re in here!” Hecate yelled back.

“Goodness, I didn’t know we still had this wretched thing,” Dimity said, opening the wardrobe. “Out you come.”

“Thank you,” Ada said, at the same time that Hecate snapped “What took so long?”

“Hecate!” Ada admonished.

“Happy to leave you in there HB, if you’d prefer it.”

“I…appreciate you letting us out,” Hecate said grudgingly.

“Hey, what are friends for?”

Hecate opened her mouth to protest this description of their relationship but Ada gave her a glare that clearly meant “be nice or else”.

“That’s how I stay optimistic,” Ada said, nodding towards Dimity. “I have faith in people, Hecate. Yes, there are terrible things in the world, and terrible people, but many people are quite nice and most people want to be good, in my experience.”

“Goodness, what have you two been doing in there, solving the world’s problems?” 

“Something like that,” Ada replied.

xxxxx

The wardrobe stubbornly defied all attempts to dismantle it. In the end, they built a bonfire in the courtyard and transferred the wardrobe on top of it. Hecate found it most satisfying to watch it burn, the flames licking their way up the legs and across the panels.

“You didn’t tell Gwen we were doing this, did you?” she asked Ada.

“I thought it best to not mention it to her.”

If Hecate’s hand slid into Ada’s, well, there was no one out there to see.

xxxxx

Hecate had been so careful to not mention Pippa’s name, but somehow, somehow, Ada must have found out. Ada, who always wanted a happy ending was trying to fix what could not be fixed. Ada, who could not leave well enough alone.

“How dare you,” Hecate hissed. “How could you do this to me, Ada? I trusted you! And you waltz in and tell me without a shred of remorse that Pippa Pentangle is invading Cackles under the guise of the spelling bee…”

“What are you talking about? I don’t”

Surely Ada could not be this cruel. Surely Ada would not stand here and lie to her face, pretend she didn’t know exactly who Pippa was to Hecate. She was good, Hecate gave her that, standing there looking all innocent and confused and…very confused. Oh. _Oh_. “You don’t know,” Hecate whispered, horrified awareness dawning on her face. “Oh Merlin, you didn’t know. You didn’t realize – I thought, oh Ada, I am so sorry, I have been such a fool. Of course you didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Hecate, what is going on?”

“Nothing,” Hecate replied quickly. “There won’t be a problem, I promise you.”

“Oh. She’s not- _is_ she the friend you-“

“Please,” Hecate begged, cutting her off. “Please don’t make me answer that.”

Ada swallowed. “Of course. I will only ask if you think yourself fit to be one of the judges.”

“Absolutely. This matter will not interfere with that.” Hecate squared her shoulders, drew herself. “The school comes first, always.”

“The school first,” Ada echoed, and there was something strange in her expression, which Hecate, consumed with panic about Pippa, only vaguely noticed at the time. Later, when the panic had subsided Hecate would look back on that moment and realize it had been profound loss – though loss of what, she couldn’t fathom. 

xxxx

Hecate kept fearing, expecting, hoping that Ada would ask, would say something after Pippa left. Ada did not, and Hecate did not know whether to be relieved or concerned. 

Soon there were much more pressing problems to deal with, however.

xxxx

Ada had seemed alright, more or less, in the first several days after she and Hecate were released from their imprisonment in the painting. Then one evening Hecate transferred into Ada’s office and found the headmistress, a teacup in her hand, starting listlessly at the photograph of Agatha and Miss Gullet.

“You were right,” Ada said dully and not entirely clearly, “some things can’t be fixed.”

Hecate sniffed the air. “Have you been drinking?”

“Do you want some?” Ada asked, conjuring another teacup. “I promised Mother I’d never drink alone but I’m not really drinking alone you see, it’s just that Agatha and Miss Gullet can’t drink right now.” She gestured towards the wall. “They’re otherwise engaged.”

“No thank you. Ada, don’t you think you ought to go to bed?” Hecate asked somewhat desperately.

“Can’t be fixed,” Ada mumbled as though she hadn’t heard her. “Tried and tried and tried. But I got everything and she got nothing. Worse than nothing. And why? Because I’m the older sister. Only she’s the older sister, and now she’s tra-ra-rapped in a picture. Remember when we were trapped, Hecate?”

“Yes,” Hecate edged closer and took the teacup from Ada’s unresisting hand.

“We got out. We. Got. Out,” Ada pronounced solemnly. “All those years we had, Agatha and I and I failed her.”

“Ada, you’re not thinking clearly.”

“I did, I did. I was supposed to look out for her.”

“Won’t you please let me help you get to bed?”

Ada nodded and allowed Hecate to help her up. “You’re very devoted to me, Hecate, but I don’t deserve it. Look what a mess I’ve made.”

“Nonsense,” Hecate responded in her best, brisk, business-like tone. “Now, let’s get you settled and I’ll come by in the morning with a hangover potion.”

“I don’t usually drink like this,” Ada frowned. “I don’t usually drink at all, ‘cept special occasions.”

“I know,” Hecate replied, her heart breaking. “It will be better in the morning, you’ll see.”

xxxx

In the morning Ada was more contrite and more embarrassed than Hecate had ever seen her before.

“I’m so sorry,” Ada said over and over and over again until Hecate threated to hex her if she didn’t stop.

“Promise me you won’t do it again, and we’ll forget all about it.”

Ada flung an arm over her eyes. “A promise easily given,” she groaned. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a lorry.”

“Here, drink this.”

“You are a miracle worker.”

“I’ll add that to my resume.”

“You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?” Ada asked in sudden alarm.

“No, of course not. I meant it as a joke. I would never leave Cackle’s.”

“Not even for Miss Pentangle?”

Hecate froze.

“I am sorry,” Ada apologized, “that was out of line, and it is none of my business.”

Hecate took both of Ada’s hands in her own and squeezed tightly. “I would never, ever leave Cackle’s as long as you’re here. Not even for Pippa.”

“Oh.”

Hecate waited for Ada to ask, to clarify. Ada did not. Hecate wondered if she should continue anyway. Then she saw that Ada had not asked because Ada was afraid, Ada was unsure, Ada did not know if she could ask, not anymore. Hecate saw how she would have to be brave and push forward, or this would grow between them, driving them apart, creating a space impassable and vast.

Hecate screwed up her courage and plunged on. “You have guessed what Pippa was to me. I am glad now, that I saw her again because we will be able to be friends again. I am glad because I have begun to put those worries that I have carried for so long, to rest. But Pippa is not my home. My home is here, and it is here that I belong. That is your business. If you want it to be, that is.”

“Yes, oh yes.” Ada’s face shone.

And Hecate knew she really was home.


End file.
